Tire lock



Dec. l5l 1925. 1,565,253

R. H. BUTTERS ETV AL TIRE LOCK Filed Sept. 2l, 1925 /Qff @ZM is incorporated y tofore constructed the use of the key is re-` Patented Dec.ll 5, 19,25.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT H. BUTTERS AND RCHARD W. STARKE, 0F ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

TIRE Loox.

Application led September 21, 1923. Serial N o. 663,936.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT H. BUTTERs and RICHARD W. STAEKE, citizens of the United States, residing' at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tire Locks, specification.

This invention relates to improvements in locks, more particularly of the type which embodies as co-operating elements a block and a stem upon which the block may be fitted and locked, a structure corresponding to such type being shown in our pending application, Serial No. 492,584, filed August 15, 1921, and now Patent No. 1,531,174 dated March 24, 1925.

Locks of this type are preferably provided with key controlled lock mechanism which with the block; and as herequired in connection with the fitting of the block upon the stem and the key may not be removed from the lock has been snapped into locking position. This has introduced a complicating factor in the operation of such locks and has been further disadvantageous in that an individual may carelessly attempt to remove the key before the bolt has become engaged in its keeper and if sufficient force be used in such attempt may break or mutilate the key.

The principal object of the present invention is to obviate the disadvantages described while retaining the advantages of a key controlled locking mechanism; in other words to provide a key controlled lock of the type described wherein the use of the key in connection with the locking operation is not re-` v quired and the key may at all times be withdrawn from the lock barrel without liability of being broken or mutilated and with the lock ready to exercise its locking function or in course of exercising such function.

`With the above objects in view the invention consists generally in a construction wherein one of the relatively rotatable parts of the block is formed as a ratchet which is engaged by the bolt in the manner of a pawl and the use of the key is required only for the unlocking operation in order to hold the bolt clear of the ratchet teeth. By virtue of such features the block may be fitted on the stem. in the manner of which the following is a block being shown barrel until the bolt bl of a nut and without,

the use of the key and as engaged with the stem in any position required is automatically locked, no operation other than the engagement of the block against axial movement on the stem being required in order to effect or provide for the lock mechanism.

The invention is shown in the accompanying drawingl as an element of an organization for locking a tire to its mounting but it will be understood that the invention may be used as a device of general utility and that the particular useful application disclosed is selected merely as an example.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a segment of a felly and tire and the locking block in operative position on the valve stem.

-Figure 2 is a' cross section, the locking on the line 2 2 of Figure 5.

Figure 3 is 'an elevation of the locking oc Figure 4 is a perspective view of the keeper part of the locking block.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section of the locking block in which the lock mechanism is shown in plan. Y

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Figure 7 is a view ofthe key by which the two parts of the block are connected.

The lock comprises a stem A and a locking block B in co-operation with said stem. As used for the purpose of locking a tire to its mounting the stem A may be constituted by the valve stem which is provided at its inner end with a head 1 forl co-operation with a nut 2 by means of which the stem is secured in the inner casing 3. Externally of the inner casing the stem carries a spreader 4 which is confined between the nut 2 and a washer 5 and which presses from within against the marginal beads of the outer casing 6 and holds them engaged in the flanges 7 of the rim 8. The stem projects through openings in the rim 8 and felly 9 and the block B is secured to the projecting portion ofthe stem.

The block B comprises two co-axial parts 10 and 11 which are provided with central openings to take over the stem A and have relative turning movement. In the construction preferred these parts are connected together whereby the block 1s a unitary operation of the device. For these purposes the part 11 has a rotatable t within a recess 12 formed in the under face of the part and providingy a flange 13 which encloses and prevents 'access to said part 11; the parts thus related are connected together by a key 14, 'prefeably in the form of a split ring (Figure 7 of the flange 13 and part- 11,' thereby tol 10 which engages in matching annular grooves dustcap C. j The relative'turning movement .of the parts 10 and 11 iseffective to complete the engagement of the blockwith the stem I and the. block having been moved on the stem 'to the position desired the parts 10 and 11' are automatically locked against retrograde relative turning movement. -Thus the cen` tral opening of the part 10 is provided with threads 18 for engagement with the threads 16 and the central opening of' .thepart 11 is provided with flat sides 19 which fit closel and conform to the flat sides of the stem. XS shown 4in the drawing the part 10 has clockwise rotation relative to the part 11 and 4`said parts are locked against relativecounter-clockwise rotation by a j bolt 20 which is mounted in the part`10 for slidable movement in the direction of the axis of said part and co-operatesasa pawlwith ratchet shoulders 21 formed on the inner face of the part 11. I

The bolt 20 is projected by a spring 22 and. is retracted by lock mechanism, also,` carried bythe part' 10. Such mechanism may be of any suitable construction, as shown it includes a barrel 23.` rotatabl tted in the .part 10 with its axis ati a rig tangleto the bolt 20. The barrel l23 is. provided with al series of radially operating tumblers which dnormally project into recesses extending radially fromfthe bore in which said Abarrel is fitted, all in the well-known manner. .The barrel 23 with the tumblers is preferably of the cylinder type operated. by a paraeentric key Iwhich may be engaged with said barrel through an opening 24 extending to the face of the block. .The boltv20is thrwnf by a pin 25` projecting eccentrically romthe inner end of the barrel andwhich extends intova recess 26 in theside of the bolt, said recess providing an ox'r'erhanging shoulder. wlth w ich the pin 25m-operates and'being! suciently' deep topermt the upward lnovgfment of the bolt under the cam-like action Y thereon of the inclined faces of the ratchet shoulders 21.

The part 11 preferably has a central flange' 27 and the opening formed in the felly (or othervobject) through which the `stein projects is fashioned with a countersunk recess 28 into which the ange projects, the function of the-flange being to prevent -access tothe stem with any instrument which might be 'used for cutting or breaking the stein from the tire at a point between the `elly and the block B.

The block 'is preferably provided with a suitable dust guard. for the lock barrel; as shown, a resilient contractile band 30 fits rotatably but closely in an annular groove 31 formed in the block. The .ends of the band are fashioned, to provide linger piecesv 32 by which the band may be turned and are spaced apart suliiciently to provide a clearance by which theopening 24.- may beguncovered, the band being normally `positioned to cover said opening. 1 v

In use: With the barrel v23 held against turning by the co-operating tuinblers, thereby permitting the projection of the bolt 20 by the spring 22, the block is slipped over the stein A in a position wherein the fiat sides 19 of the part 11 lie adjacent the fiat sides 17 of the stem and the'part 10 isyrotated (inthe clockwise direction with- `reference to the drawing) to eedf the block in the manner of a nut along and toward the inner end of the stein, the bolt20 during such rotation of the part 10 riding over the ratchet shoulders 21. This rotation of the part 10 is-continued until the inward movement of the block such time the block is automaticalljy'l` locked on the stem since it can only be removed by v rotating the part 10 in then reverse direction4 and this is prevented by the engagement of the bolt 20 against -the perpendicular face of the adjacent ratchet shoulder. As' thus ylocked on the stem the block lwill rigidly rand positively secure the objects with. which itis associated; ,in the construction disclosed itvwill securetheftire, thatlis'to say the outer lcasing, against removal from the',

rim or vthe carrierl and will also secure the rim, 'whether lof .clincher or demou-ntableform, against removal from the Wheel or carrier. To remove theb'lock from the stem thekey is used to turnA the barrel and thereby lift the bolt2l) clear of the ratchet shoul# I ders 21an'd with .the boltI4 so '.held'the part f 10 is rotated inthe reverse direction, that.' is to say counter-'clockwise in the construcf `tion shown, whereby 'the block is fed'along' vthe stem' toward 'its outer end and ultimately j'disengages the same at which time /the oby jects to be lsecured are releasedjand therebyv madeaccessible. r

Having fully described our invention we claim f 1. In a lock, in combination, a stem and a locking block, the stem having threads and Hat faces interrupting the threads, the block comprising two co-axial,cooperating parts relatively rotatable and having central openings through which the stem may project, one of the parts engaging the flat faces of the stem against rotation, the other engaging the threads against endwise displacement, a bolt carried by one part, the other part having gagement'by said bolt, and lock mechanism carried'by one pari'I and operative to retract the bolt.

A zo

2. lin a lock, in combination, a stem and a locking block, the stem lhaving threads and flat faces interrupting the threads, the block comprising two 3o-axial co-operating relatively rotatable parts permanently connected together and havingcentral openings through which the stem may project, one of the parts engaging the flat faces of the stem against rotation, the other part having ratchet shoulders for en-' f ai 4threads whereby it may engage the threads of said stem and be turned thereon in the manner of a nut, one part having ratchet shoulders, a bolt carried byf the other part and engaging said shoulders in the manner of a pawl,l and lock mechanism carried by one part and operative to retract the bolt.

3.111 a lock, in combination, a locking block and a threaded stem, said block including a part which maybe turned in the manner of a nut and a partwhich engages ysaid stem against turning movement thereon,

said block having elements combined with its respective parts and which cooperate with one another in the manner of a pawl and ratchet during the relative turning movement of said parts whereby to prevent retrograde relative turning of and lock mechanism carried by said block and by which said elements maybe placed in non-cooperative relation. Y

` ln testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

ROBERT H. BUTTERS. .RJICHARD W. STARKE.

movement therel 

